Refers to the act of sprouting or to a newly emerged sprout itself. Often used in gardening and cooking contexts.
Please remove the sprouts from the potatoes before cooking.
In spring, you can see sprouts here and there in the garden.
Compound of 芽 (me, 'bud, sprout') and 出し (dashi, the continuative form of 出す, 'to put out'). Literally 'bud-putting-out'.